All posts tagged: Indian football governance

Valanka Alemao alleges harassment by Kalyan Chaubey, AIFF denies claims

Valanka Alemao alleges harassment by Kalyan Chaubey, AIFF denies claims

A fresh controversy has emerged within the All India Football Federation, with Women’s Committee head Valanka Alemao accusing AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey of harassment during an Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi. In a formal communication addressed to committee members, Alemao alleged that she was “heckled and harassed” during the meeting held on March 29 at the Football House. The complaint has brought renewed attention to internal functioning and governance standards within Indian football. Detailing the incident, Alemao wrote, “I wish to place on record the entirely disgusting behaviour of the AIFF President Mr Kalyan Chaubey, Vice President Mr N. A. Haris and Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan. I feel deeply prejudiced and I found that several attempts were made by the President to suppress my voice.” She further stated, “The President made remarks against me which were unnecessary and disrespectful. He along with the DSG raised his tone time and again beyond an acceptable decibel with the intention to intimidate me. Throughout the course of the meeting, I was consistently targeted.” Federation rejects claims, …

₹2,129 crore on the table, but why do ISL clubs still see the Genius sports bid as a problem?

₹2,129 crore on the table, but why do ISL clubs still see the Genius sports bid as a problem?

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has opened bids for its long-term commercial rights cycle, with Genius Sports emerging as the highest bidder for the Indian Super League (ISL) and Federation Cup at approximately ₹2,129 crore over 20 years. FanCode has submitted a competing bid worth around ₹1,190 crore, built on a different financial approach, while Capri Sports has secured the women’s package with a ₹150 crore commitment for the Indian Women’s League (IWL) and IWL 2. On paper, it marks a dramatic jump from the current cycle. In reality, it has opened up a deeper debate about who actually benefits from the deal. But as expected, the headline figures have not translated into confidence among ISL clubs. A high-value deal with long-term consequences Three bidders have emerged in the process: Genius Sports – highest bid for men’s football (ISL + Federation Cup) FanCode – alternative bid for men’s package Capri Sports – the highest bidder for women’s competitions At first glance, the numbers are staggering. Genius Sports has committed approximately ₹2,129 crore over 20 …

I-League rebranded as Indian Football League, 2025-26 season to begin on February 21

I-League rebranded as Indian Football League, 2025-26 season to begin on February 21

The I-League will officially begin its 2025-26 season on February 21 under a revised identity and competition structure, following a meeting between club representatives and officials of the All India Football Federation in New Delhi on Wednesday. As part of the overhaul, the I-League will now be referred to as the Indian Football League, while continuing to function as the second tier of the Indian football pyramid below the Indian Super League. Clubs have proposed the creation of a Governing Council and a Managing Committee, with representation from participating teams, the AIFF and a future commercial partner. The proposal has been forwarded to the AIFF Executive Committee for approval. According to the plan submitted by the clubs, the upcoming season will follow a two-stage format. In the opening phase, teams will compete in a single-leg home-and-away round-robin. Based on standings after Stage 1, the league will then split into two groups. The top half will enter a home-and-away championship round, while the remaining teams will contest a centralised relegation round. Points earned in the first …

What is the Indian Club Licensing System?

What is the Indian Club Licensing System?

On May 15, 2025, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that in its annual club licensing review, several top-tier clubs, including Kerala Blasters FC, Hyderabad FC, and Odisha FC, failed to meet the requirements to obtain a club license for the 2025–26 season. While Punjab FC became the only club to receive the ICLS Premier 1 License without any sanctions, other major clubs were either given conditional approvals with sanctions or were outright denied. This has raised serious questions among fans and stakeholders: What exactly is the Indian Club Licensing System, and why does it matter so much? Let’s break it down. What is the Indian Club Licensing System (ICLS)? The Indian Club Licensing System (ICLS) is a regulatory framework developed by the AIFF, aligned with the standards set by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is designed to ensure that football clubs participating in national and continental competitions operate in a professional, sustainable, and legally compliant manner. Simply put, they are a set of minimum requirements that clubs need to meet in order …

Churchill Brothers withdraw from Super Cup amid I-League title controversy

Churchill Brothers withdraw from Super Cup amid I-League title controversy

Churchill Brothers have officially withdrawn from the Super Cup 2025, citing the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) “unfair and opaque seeding process, as per reports.” The club, which finished top of the I-League 2024–25 table*, has accused the federation of denying them their “rightful place and trophy” despite their on-field performance. Churchill Brothers have withdrawn from the Super Cup 2025 “in protest against the AIFF’s unfair and opaque seeding process.” Despite topping the I-League table, the club said they were “denied our rightful place and trophy, against the rules, spirit, and integrity of football.” — Marcus Mergulhao (@MarcusMergulhao) April 13, 2025 The club expressed that they felt denied their rightful place and trophy, claiming it went against the rules, spirit, and integrity of football. They added that their decision to withdraw from the Super Cup 2025 was a form of protest against what they described as an unfair and non-transparent seeding process. The I-League season concluded dramatically on April 6, with three final-day matches shaping the title race: Inter Kashi defeated Rajasthan United 3-1 in …